A stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj resulted in at least 40 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The chaos erupted when thousands of pilgrims pushed towards the sacred confluence of rivers for a holy bath believed to cleanse sins. Eyewitnesses reported that poor crowd control, including blocked access routes for pilgrims, exacerbated the situation. Officials indicated the tragedy might have been avoidable with better management. The Maha Kumbh has a history of such incidents, highlighting the persistent risks associated with massive gatherings at religious events.
"It was around 1.45 a.m. and people were getting flattened in the melee, and I could see this crush of humanity surge forward. Many women and children were asleep when the tragedy happened," said Saurabh Singh, a festival attendee.
"This tragedy could have been easily avoided if there was better crowd control and the presence of adequate police. But the administration blocked over 28 platoon bridges leading to the river, which were reserved for VIPs, leading to the chaos," Indra Shekhar explained.
"I was numb seeing such a crowd, and an hour later, I saw lifeless bodies lying on the ground," Singh added.
Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister, noted that the stampede occurred when pilgrims attempted to jump over police barricades to reach the Sangam confluence.
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